Last Updated on May 19, 2023 by River Tree Farms
A bamboo wok is an eco-friendly brush made from bamboo and designed to clean your wok. It’s a green way to clean off any mess from your cookware.
Have you ever cleaned with a bamboo wok brush before? If not, then you need to get one right away. Bamboo is the world’s largest woody plant. It means that a bamboo wok brush will be used to clean your wok for many years.
This article will give you all the necessary information about how to use a bamboo wok brush.
Why Use a Bamboo Brush on the Wok?
This brush is specifically designed to clean a wok, unlike sponges and other non-abrasive tools that can be used for other kitchen appliances. This gives it all the beneficial features for better results in your wok.
One of its best qualities is that it withstands high temperatures, so it doesn’t melt when cleaning a hot wok. A wok is best cleaned when hot, making this bamboo brush faster and more efficient.
Another advantage is the length of the bristles. You cannot clean a very hot wok with your hands too close to the surface. The brush bristles are long enough to allow you to clean your wok without your hands getting burnt.
Brushes tend to stay drier and free from food residues compared to a sponge. This reduces the chances of breeding grounds for bacteria. Bacteria thrive well on wet surfaces that have food particles.
How Do You Use a Bamboo Brush on a Wok?
The following are the steps you need to mind when you are cleaning your wok using a bamboo wok brush:
1. Consider the size of the brush
The first consideration is using the correct brush size compatible with the size of the wok you are cleaning. Luckily it comes in different sizes. All this is to ensure your safety because if you use a long enough brush, you will not come into contact with hot water.
2. Clean the wok
If you want to maintain the durability of your wok, cleaning is inevitable. You don’t only clean after you finish cooking your food, but you also clean before you cook. The fine bristles of the wok will clean even a hot wok making it easier and faster to get off the food particles.
NB: You do not need to use soap if you are cleaning before you cook.
3. Rinse the brush with hot water
The brush will have collected the food particles when cleaning the wok, making it very dirty. Therefore, you need to remove the debris and rinse it with hot water and the wok.
4. Use the brush to clean the wok again.
This time you have already removed the food particles. Using a mild dishwashing soap and hot water, gently scrub your wok, leaving no stain. Clean while swirling your brush on every wok surface to ensure proper cleaning.
Drain the water after cleaning and make sure it’s satisfactorily clean.
Give your wok a final rinse using hot clean water.
5. Dry the wok
Wipe your wok dry using paper towels. For durability, make sure to season it with a thin layer of vegetable oil and then store it.
6. Clean the brush
You need to store a clean brush for your next time use. After you clean your wok, the brush is left in a very messy state, so it needs cleaning as well.
How do you use a bamboo scrubber?
A bamboo scrubber is 100% natural and perfect for removing food residues softly and gently.
The bamboo scrubber is mostly used when you have burnt food as it tends to stick more than normal food particles. It comes in a relatively shorter handle as scrubbing the wok hard can only be achieved if done at a close range to the surface.
Otherwise, the use of the bamboo scrubber is the same as that of the bamboo wok brush.
How Do You Clean a Bamboo Wok Brush?
A bamboo wok brush can either be cleaned in a dishwasher or manually.
If done manually, below are the easy steps:
- Fill a large bowl or a closed sink with hot water. The water should be half-filled so that the greasy part of the brush will be fully immersed.
- Pour a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap into the hot water.
- Mix the solution thoroughly to form a uniform soapy solution.
- Stir your brush inside the soapy water.
- Soak the brush in the solution for a few minutes until there are no food particles on the wok’s surface.
- When there is no dirt on the brush surface, rinse the brush using hot water.
- Dry the brush by placing it against the wall bristles facing down to drain the excess water as it airdries.
- Store it in a dry place, preferably by hanging it.
Can I use a bamboo wok brush on cast iron?
Yes. It allows you to effectively clean your seasoned cast iron wok without soap or abrasive sponges, thus preserving the seasoning and prolonging your cookware life.
Is a wok brush necessary?
As we have already discussed the brush features and functions, yes, a bamboo wok brush is essential in a wok. It lets you clean or scrub every part of a wok and ensures that it is 100% cleaned – inside and outside. Using a wok brush, you can clean your wok without worrying about ruining its surface by using abrasives.
conclusion
The wok brush has been considered a tool that is a necessity in cleaning a wok. Ask anyone who owns a wok if they have one, and they would answer yes.
If you come across someone who doesn’t own one, you can confidently encourage them to own one, and they will never regret it.